During the 1600s, several different areas of the New World were settled and

colonized by the English including New England—Massachusetts, New Hampshire,

Connecticut, and Rhode Island—and the Chesapeake region—Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Despite the similarities of the origins of these two places, by the eighteenth century they

had evolved into two distinct societies. Although there were many reasons that contributed

to the varying cultures, family, religion, geography, and gold played major parts.

From viewing a list of various emigrants bound for New England in March of

1635, it is apparent from viewing the document that the majority of the to-be settlers

came with a family consisting of sons, daughters, babies, and, in most cases, a servant.

By using this information, one can determine that a major value of the New Englanders

was family and that this value would have had a great impact on how the colonies toward

the north developed. A direct contrast for the family-loving New Englanders is seen in a

list of emigrants heading toward the Chesapeake region, but this register tells an

immensely different tale about the colonizers. With the exception of three pairs of

brothers and sisters, absolutely no families made the journey to Virginia from England in

July of 1635. Single men with ages varying from fourteen to fifty dominated the

population of the ship and most likely the settlement where they were aimed. Only a

small portion of the ship’s occupants was taken up by women and their age only ranged

from 18 to 24. Compared to the Englanders bound for Massachusetts, those journeying to

the Chesapeake region had immensely different values.

Another example of the importance of family in New England can be found in the

Articles of Agreement for Springfield, Massachusetts of 1636 which states, “We intend

by God’s grace, as soon as we can, with all convenient speed, to procure some Godly and
faithful minister with whom we purpose to join in church covenant to walk in all the

ways of Christ.” These words state that one of the main intentions of the settlers was to

keep religion important in their society by keeping the church strong. After this

statement, the document tells of another one of major values that these New Englanders

found extremely important. By stating that their town will contain forty families, they are

affirming that family value matters to the success of their settlement.

While New Englanders cared about religion and family, those in the Chesapeake

region, like Captain John Smith, desired to be like the Spaniards who journeyed to the

New World. In order to achieve that goal, the settlers in Virginia and Maryland had to be

focused on discovering gold. Captain John Smith’s History of Virginia makes it very clear

that the intention of the majority of the colonists was to become rich. The desire to find

gold in the Chesapeake region obsessed many of the people to the point where all they

did was, “ . . . dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold . . . ” Opposite of the New

Englanders who appear to have been a very together and united people, Virginia could

not be defended against the Dutch and Native Americans. Due to information found in

Governor Berkeley and His council on Their Inability to Defend Virginia Against a Dutch

Attack, readers know that geography and large amounts of men who were unable to fight

made the Chesapeake area very open to attack.

Due to differences between the two regions during their settling in the 1600s, two

completely individual societies existed by the 1700s. The groups of people that came

from England to settle in the Chesapeake region and New England were entirely different

which led to varying societies. While New England colonists were very concerned with

religion and family, the main priority of those in the Chesapeake was to find gold.